Colours of Central America | Guatemala & Belize | 14 nights

A treat to the senses, this itinerary combines a colonial town bursting with colour, a sapphire-blue volcanic lake, Mayan temples hidden in tropical jungle and beaches scattered with palms. Throw in some of the best snorkelling and diving on the planet and you have the perfect combination of culture, adventure, sun and sand.

Perfect for… just about anybody. A great honeymoon for itchy feet-ers and lots of fun for active families, too.

When to go… dry season runs from November/December through to April but it’s warm and sunny all year around. And don’t forget the lobster festival in June.

Consider… injecting some glitz into your itinerary with a stopover on South Beach on the way.

• We fly you into Guatemala City, where you’re met and taken to the country’s old capital, Antigua, a sublime colonial town of cobbled streets, colourful markets, great restaurants and a lovely, laid-back atmosphere. Three nights at boutique hotel El Covento should do the trick.

• From Antigua, it’s a two and a half hour private transfer to Lake Atitlan, a stunning lake surrounded by volcanoes dotted with tiny Mayan villages. Explore nearby market town Chichicastenago and kayak on the lake but remember to leave some time for relaxing at your wonderful hotel, Casa Palopo.

• We then transfer you back to Guatemala City for a flight to the tropical lowlands of the north. Here, shrouded in jungle, lies Tikal, a half-excavated Mayan city, home to parrots, howler monkeys and towering temples that puncture the forest canopy. Two nights at Francis Ford Coppola-owned La Lancha gives you chance to explore.

• After Tikal, we transfer you to the airport for a light aircraft flight that gives you fabulous jungle views as it takes you across to Belize. Here you connect with a 15-minute flight over to Ambergris Caye for four nights of well-deserved beach time at Victoria House, with superlative diving and snorkelling right on your doorstep.

• At the end of your stay, you take the 15 minute flight back to Belize City to connect with your return flights home.